We stopped in for a quick lunch on our annual trip to Southport. We opted to sit at the bar since they were not busy yet. The bartender was super friendly and gave us several great recommendations. Get the street corn - so good! My husband devoured his hot ham and cheese that comes with a delicious house queso and my daughter really enjoyed her Ropa steak and cheese that came with a tasty dipping sauce on the side. I went with the Nashville hot chicken. It was good but I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if it would have been 1 piece of chicken versus tenders. I also cut my sandwich in half so it was mostly my fault that it was falling apart. My plan has been to only eat half but the pretzel buns are so good that I killed the whole thing. If you dont like it too spicy, it will be a perfect pick. I added a good dose of Cholula to mine. I snagged the queso from my husband's order and went with the multicolored tortilla chips. Next time I am trying the mac and cheese bowl! Glad we found a new spot to add to our Southport list. read more

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***This review is the for drinks only.*** My husband and I sat at the bar to grab beers. I like the space and the service was fun. I can't speak to the food but they serve it here. It is definitely worth checking out for drinks. Cheers! read more

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If you are looking for a good bar, this is the place. If you are looking for good food, head somewhere else. We have been three times hoping it would get better and it doesn't. Happy to have drinks but won't be eating there again. read more

Was referred by a friend to try this place and it did not disappoint. The food is very fresh and very good. I like the mango chicken bowl, because you eat it and you don't feel overly full like some places you go to nowadays. The staff was so kind and checking on us constantly. Our waitress was Emily and she was the only waitress there at the time for the whole restaurant and she was killing it. Give that girl a raise!! The street corn was amazing. I'm a big street corn fan and it was perfect. The atmosphere as really good. Not sure if it was becuase it was July 4 festivities in the area but it felt really festive there and the crowd was great. read more

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Ate dinner here while visiting town and thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Our waitress was excellent and food good. The drinks were perfect. The only oddity is the restrooms. You must use sinks outside the restrooms where everyone can see you. This is unusual at best. read more

We really enjoyed Royal James. The location in Southport is perfect for strolling along the water and then stopping in for drinks and a bite. We did exactly that. Walked in for a late lunch with a side of Painkillers. I had the spiced and my wife had the creamy painkillers. Both were delicious but the spice was outstanding. It use Kraken spiced rum. For food we had the pimento cheese with balsamic onions and toasted pita and the Jerk Chicken sandwich with a side of street corn. Everything was delicious. The service and people are great and very friendly. read more

Royal James is locally owned and as interesting as the name. Unique food menu - great selection of adult beverages featuring rums and tequila & plenty of beer. The staff is great. Grab a bite, have a drink and head upstairs for some billiards. read more

Came here for lunch, service was excellent saw us right away and food came out quickly! I ordered the Royal James sandwich with a side of street corn salad. The sandwich was okay, it could use more flavoring but the street corn salad was a 10/10! The strawberry daiquiri was also delicious. read more

Royal James - royal james sandwich - Bars Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

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Named after a pirate which put Blackbeard himself in his place. This pirate paid for his own stuff. Like his own boat but that game got to his head. Literally. Well he would pay for this food here and leave a chest worth of gold coins as the food and service is so good. His parrot is still alive and kicking which helps make the amazing key lime crème brûlée . You must order like a pirate or the food will come with a wench Arghhh, Maties. read more

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Food okay at best and I am being generous . The paper plates and disposable silverware gross. Feel like all food popped in microwave. Venue fun that is about it. Would love to see it succeed but needs to step up the quality of the food. read more

Drinks were great but food was basic. Egg rolls tasted like they were microwaved from a frozen state. Nachos were good but we had a lot of dry chips bc they pile everything on top and melt the cheese. It's bar food. What more can I really say? Ambiance was great! read more

This is a relatively new place in Southport (opened in March) and I was glad to finally be able to check it out. Great vibe! Really like the bar, outdoor seating and cool menu. Drinks were great and the food was fun. Great add to our options on Howe Street! read more

Simple bar food, but great options. Excellent service! We'll definitely be back every time we visit Southport.

Fabulous service and the sandwich with the street corn salad was fabulous! Lots of fun drinks and we will be back!

We were welcomed in by friendly staff on a slow and rainy Monday night. Our drinks were good and we loved the vibe of the place. The soft pretzel appetizer was very good but heated pimiento cheese? No thank you! We all ordered different bowls and they were just ok. What I found most interesting was that they claim to be an ocean friendly establishment. They did have compostable straws, plates and water cups but they also had plastic utensils and brought the dressing out in individual plastic containers. It is a huge place, surely they have room for dish washing. If I'm sitting down in a restaurant and paying $15-20 for a meal, I'd like a real plate and utensils. read more

Royal James - Bars Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

If you are from out of town, don't visit here. My son's friend (who is over 30) has a Digital ID from another State. The barkeeps here won't honor that. I guess the small town folks don't yet understand phones and apps - they are this new thing that's out. Also there is something called the Internet - just a note in case the owners wants to ask their friends about that new thing-a-ma-jig. (Some things are electronic nowadays). Anyway, if you aren't from Southport and/or NC, I would give this place a pass. Also foods ands drinks are meh... read more

Excellent service, extremely clean, which is a must for me. Cute low key pirate vibe. Good rum drink, pimento cheese was tasty.

We came in with a large group and Dagney quickly made us a round of shots! She was attentive and made sure everyone always had a drink in hand! The food is always delicious and fresh - overall highly recommended read more

Amazing service! Great time, awesome and attentive; bartenders! (And Asa) Food was quick and really fresh, the coleslaw was definitely what topped things off! Thanks Royal James will diffidently be back! read more

Stopped by with some friends last night to try the new place in Southport. Cool ambiance, open to street by the bar, good vibes. Limited food menu, but full bar. The food was very good so props to the kitchen. The mixed drinks were tasty but had essentially no alcohol. I was very thirsty, drank a whole margarita on an empty stomach before my friends even got seated. It just tasted like lemonade. No buzz at all. Then ordered a painkiller. That went fast too. No buzz at all. Nothing. And I'm a lightweight. Not sure if the $8 price for drinks has them intentionally light pouring, or if the bartender was just stingy. If we go back, I will just eat the food and not order the ridiculously weak drinks. Disappointed. I was hoping for more from a place that bills itself as a "rummery". read more

There is a very relaxed ambiance with the bar open to the street. They have pool tables and games at the upstairs bar. The appetizers I got were the Mexicali and Pimento dips; both were great! The staff was friendly, and the beer was cold! read more

Delicious bowls and sandwiches. Highly recommend the cilantro dressing. Good beer and great service!

Very loud, food was not very good. Not much to choose from on menu. I could not find the menu online anywhere before we went. Slow service. Disappointed, probably will not make plans too go there again. Not kid friendly either. Rowdy feeling. read more